reversal
by limonium
Summary: Nishiki is the human. Kimi is the ghoul. And both have nothing to lose. au. —nishiki/kimi


**disclaimer:** tg is not mine.

 **a/n:** song recommendation is my foolish heart (acoustic collabo ver.)

* * *

 _beware my foolish heart_

* * *

Nishiki is not sure why the floor is so fascinating.

"Hey, Nishino," he waves the can of black coffee she loves in front of her, "you okay?"

She startles and relaxes when she sees him, smiles when she sees the coffee.

"Thank you, Nishiki-kun." She takes the can from him with a strange type of grace. Nishino is still smiling at him. "I guess I owe you now."

The only thing he says is 'hnn' which people had always found irritating or condescending. She thinks it's funny on good days. A start of a debate on bad days.

It's a good day, he supposes, because the smile stretches wider and she looks…content.

"So," he starts, "what were you thinking about so seriously?"

Nishino falters, slightly, but she releases a breath. She reminds him of someone then—with the same tired face and tired posture.

He realizes it's himself.

"My…family." Painfully, she smiles again. And Nishiki doesn't know what to say to that.

Neither of them had bothered telling the specifics of their situation. He never really wanted to talk about how his only family member died in a plane crash to someone he just, in a split-second decision, knew simply because of some loose change.

Well, when Nishiki doesn't know what to say, he doesn't say anything.

It's silent for a while and he wonders if he had done the right thing (wait—he is _regretting his actions_ —) because the air around them seems awkward and tense.

He had never been good in socializing but—

"Thank you." She whispers that he barely catches it, "Nishiki-kun, thank you."

In response, something in him stirs. He's sure this time that she is not grateful because of the coffee. But even he knows where some limits are so his mouth stays shut and forms a smile instead.

He merely taps his own can of coffee on hers.

* * *

 _there's a line between love and fascination_

* * *

"Aren't you sick of drinking the same type of coffee every single day?"

Nishino's eyes brightens and she laughs. His stomach feels as if it is soaring.

"I don't mind." she says. "It tastes exactly like how I like it."

He mutters, "Yeah, like shit." And he was sure she shouldn't have heard him but she does because he sometimes forgets she has this abnormally sharp hearing and crap— _Nishiki you idiot! Her jabs are fucking painful!_

She huffs and he clutches on to his side like a dying man, moaning.

"God, Nishino," Here's hoping she would never aim at his lower regions, "your elbows could kill."

Her eyes twinkle in mischief.

"Oh, I know." The tone is half laughter and half irony. He doesn't really get why it's ironic either.

Nishino is a series of peculiar and beautiful things. She smiles like a child but also like _he's_ the child. She's knows her biology major that her peers admire her and there are signs that she secretly reads romance novels daily but she eats so little he worries if the only thing she is consuming every day is that shit-taste coffee of hers.

And she is sad. Overwhelmingly so.

He scoffs and grabs her pretty, thin wrists. "Come on, Nishino. We need to go eat."

She blinks and raises her eyebrow, "We just did an hour ago—"

"I'm hungry." Nishiki says, cutting her off, _ugh please don't kick me for that_ , "And you…need to eat more."

She sighs, sounding exasperatedly fond, "Fine." And he inwardly relaxes in relief. He knows the true potential of women bringing him down to his knees and he personally thinks it's healthy to fear them.

"We'll go to this coffee shop I wanted to go to for a while then."

She hums, "Called?"

"Anteiku."

* * *

 _his lips are much too close to mine_

* * *

Nishiki looks down on Kimi sleeping.

He sees the bandages peeking from the cover of her shirt and her arms.

Her face is battered too. He frowns at this.

It's pretty unfair that the only thing he got out of this was some scar on his shoulder and some insignificant scratches while Kimi—

"Nishiki-kun…?"

He pulls on the edges of his lips to make a smile. It probably came out as a grimace. "Hey."

She wanted to say something else, her mouth forming words that she can't say. Kimi who jabs his side so ferociously can now barely lift a finger. A sobering thought. Seems like ghouls are mortals too.

He sighs, "Sleep, Kimi. I'll be here."

She eyes him but soon gave a barely discernable nod and her breaths evens.

Nishiki is still for a long time. Something in the back of his mind is screaming that he had almost lost the only thing that is persistently tying him down to this world. But he just feels numb. And relief. _It's over. Fuck that 'narcissistic' guy._

Leaning down, he could see the slope of her nose, black rings under her eyes, her dehydrated, chapped lips, and the exhaustion sagging into her cheeks. He could feel her warm exhales on his skin.

He wants to say something. Anything. But he can't say cheesy lines. He's not romantic and everyone knows he's an asshole. Including her. Who had remarked that his 'asshole-ish attitude' is his selling point because then why else would she date him?

Nishiki chuckles quietly. She is really something else.

"You're such an idiot." He says.

" _I still love you."_ He doesn't say.

* * *

 _for this time it isn't fascination_

 _or a dream that will fade and fall apart_

 _it's love_

 _this time it's love_

 _my foolish heart_

.

.

.

"Nishiki-kun."

"What." he grunts.

He is focused on some assignment he procrastinated on that he doesn't mind her staring at him. Usually he teases her for it (not that he isn't a good looking jerk) and she retaliates. Though currently he is too busy on his laptop and piles of paper for anything else.

"Hm," she grins cheekily, "I love you, idiot."

He snorts, eyes not leaving the screen.

She heads to the kitchen for coffee.

"Wait!" Something hits the floor and he curses colorfully. "Wait—Kimi—say that again—"

* * *

— _end_ —

* * *

 **a/n2:** i reread most of the gourmet arc to write this (my pain for you all) can you believe it? and my nishikimi feels came slamming back when i heard the song ugh otps hold so much power (plus typing those lyrics felt so fucking cheesy but so right yknow? wait no everything is so fucking cheesy. _everything._ groans)

 **a/n3:** now in the process of trying to write stuff (ah yes hiatus) but uni is evil


End file.
